Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Again Apologizes for Elbowing Incident

Thủ tướng Canada xin lỗi vì vô tình thúc cùi chỏ vào một nữ nghị sỹ

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologized Wednesday after he was involved in a brief melee on the floor of the House of Commons in which a female lawmaker said he elbowed her. Mr. Trudeau on Thursday reiterated that apology. PHOTO: ADRIAN WYLD/THE CANADIAN PRESS/ASSOCIATED PRESS

OTTAWA—Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued his second apology in as many days on Thursday for his role in a physical altercation in the country’s legislature, the latest in a string of setbacks that could mark the end of the honeymoon phase for the Liberal leader.

Wednesday night’s melee, in which Mr. Trudeau is alleged to have elbowed a female lawmaker in the chest, comes amid accusations of stifling debate and tensions over electoral-reform plans.

Analysts said the recent rough patch could cast a pall over the Liberals, who won a federal election in November on promises to bring in an era of positive politics.

Opposition politicians had accused Mr. Trudeau’s Liberals of resorting to extraordinary legal measures to stifle debate in order to speed the passing of laws. Anger was focused on a motion, which the government on Thursday agreed to withdraw, that would have given cabinet ministers greater power over how parliament functions, including the timing of debates.

The Liberal government had proposed the motion as it attempts to get its assisted-suicide legislation passed before June 6, when a Supreme Court of Canada ruling on the matter comes into effect.

Without new government legislation, it is possible that medically assisted suicide could be decriminalized without any rules in place at the national level. Under the proposed legislation, individuals over the age of 18 with serious and irreversible medical conditions could seek a doctor’s help in dying, as long as their request is signed by two witnesses and evaluated by two doctors or nurses. Foreigners would be ineligible under the law.

Mr. Trudeau has also come under fire recently over plans to overhaul the country’s electoral system. Rival politicians, pundits and academics have panned the government’s efforts, due in part to its reluctance to hold a referendum on any changes.

“The Liberals are now getting into the dirty nitty-gritty of governing, and it’s tough,” said Darrell Bricker, chief executive of polling firm Ipsos Public Affairs. “They face a new type of challenge and it will be interesting to see how they adjust.”

Mr. Trudeau has earned an unusual amount of largely positive foreign-media coverage for a Canadian politician thanks to his optimistic take on politics, a push to open Canada’s doors to Syrian refugees and calls to embrace feminism.

After Wednesday’s alleged elbowing incident, which occurred after he waded into a crowd and grabbed the arm of a Conservative Party member to take him to his seat in the legislature, some of the shine may be off the leader.

Mr. Trudeau said in his haste he “made physical contact” with Ruth Ellen Brosseau, of the New Democratic Party, “something I regret profoundly for which I apologize unreservedly. That absolutely should not have happened.”

He added that he is prepared to accept the findings of an all-party legislative committee tasked with investigating the incident. The Liberals hold a majority on that committee. Canada’s Speaker of the House, Geoff Regan, has ruled the prime minister’s actions represented a serious breach of parliamentary rules.

Mr. Trudeau has enjoyed what pollster Nik Nanos, president of Ottawa-based Nanos Research, describes as an “exceptionally long” honeymoon period, with his data indicating Liberal support remains above levels reached on election day. He said he doesn’t believe the elbowing incident will knock down support immediately.

“The trick here is the popularity of the government has been built around the personality of Mr. Trudeau,” Mr. Nanos said. “The Liberals have to make sure they protect his brand.”

—Kim Mackrael contributed to this article.

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Last edited by Phong Vien TL on Fri May 20, 2016 6:14 pm, edited 2 times in total.